EURO 2016 is here, which means many companies will be vying for the attention of their employees against some of the most exciting football matches of the year. Football fans have been known to call in sick for big matches, potentially costing the UK economy as much as £269 million in lost work productivity.
Instead of looking at EURO 2016 as an obstacle, you can use it as an opportunity to bring your workers together and avoid a huge reduction in workplace productivity. The Beekeeper team came up with some ways your company can be part of the EURO 2016 fun.
1. Allow Employees to Watch Matches Together
We might as well face the facts — your employees are going to try to watch matches any way they can. That may mean calling in one afternoon when their favorite team plays, or trying to stream games on their work computers. Instead, consider allowing employees to watch the most popular matches together.
While that may mean an afternoon or two of unproductive time, it will be more than made up for in employee morale. Including a fun prize or incentive for the employee that picks the winner of the most matches during the tournament can create a sense of unity and friendly competition.
You can also turn your office into club central and allow your employees to decorate their workspaces with the flags of their favorite teams in support. By embracing the spirit of EURO 2016, you’ll create a unified front and earn major points with your employees, which will pay dividends for the weeks and months to come.
2. Send Your Own Updates
Hopefully, your company has guidelines on using personal mobile devices during work hours. While many employees will be tempted to use their devices to access scores or live updates, you can avoid that by providing updates with your internal communication tools. Beekeeper offers live feeds for departments or an entire company, so you can keep your employees updated on the latest scores and match reports.
On match days you can also poll employees on who they think will win that day’s matches, sparking conversation and camaraderie among the football faithful that will drive engagement forward for weeks to come.
3. Allow For Flex Time
Regardless of your company’s efforts, absenteeism will increase during EURO 2016. An anonymous poll conducted by ELAS discovered that 40% of respondents said they would call in sick to watch their team compete in 2016. So be prepared to offer alternatives to minimize the damages like allowing employees to swap shifts (with permission) or take longer breaks to grab match reports. The time they miss can be made up, and since you know when employees will be gone you can prepare and adjust accordingly. If your company has a mobile internal communication tool like Beekeeper, those employees who are out of the office or at the pub watching the match can stay in touch with the company and not slip too far behind.
40% of Respondents would call in sick to watch their team compete in EURO 2016
As an employer, it can feel like Euro 2016 is taking over everything and nothing is getting done. Instead of fighting it, work to incorporate the fun into the work day so your employees don’t feel like they have to hide their obvious interest. Embracing the spirit of the tournament your employees will feel like you care and their appreciation alone will pay off after EURO 2016’s champion is crowned.
